Type-writing machine



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(No Model.)

P. H. BOLTE.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 452,335. Patented May 12, 1891.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. 1-1. BOLTE.

*TYPE WRITING MACHINE. No. 452,335. Patented May 12,1891.

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F. H. BOLTB. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 452,335. Patented May 12,1891.

.section on line X X of Fig. l.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FRANK II. BOI/FE, OF MILIVAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,335, dated May 12, 1891.

Application filed January 27, 1888. Serial No. 262,156. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: A

Be it known that I, FRANK 1I. BoL'rE, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Nllisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Type-IVriting Machines and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention, to be hereinafter distinctly claimed, relates to the form, construction, and arrangement of the various parts of my device and to the combination of those part-s in groups and in one entire machine. l

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of my improved type-writer. Fig. 2 is an elevation of that end of the machine at the top ot' the sheet in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse Fig. et is a detail of the key-lever and type-bar and their attachments. Fig. 5 is a detail ot' the bracket that supports the key-lever and type-bar. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the complete typewriter.` Fig. 7 is a detail of the mechanism for raising and lowering the bank of keys and their supporting-frame. Fig. 8 is a detail of that portion of the carriage-moving mechanism which is beneath the bed of the typewriter. Fig. 9 is a detail of a portion of that part ofthe mechanism for moving the carriage and reciprocating the ink-ribbon that is above the bed of the machine. Fig. 10 is a detail showing in section the manner of pivoting a type-bar in its supporting-bracket.

The same letters and figures refer to like parts in all the drawings.

The 'bed of the machine A, which is ahori- Zontal level table, is supported on the short rubber legs or feet B B.' Upon the bed is supported the carriage C, which has a movement laterally in ways on the bed. In the top of this carriage and as a part of it is the paperholding table D, which has a reciprocating movement en dwise at right angles to the movement of the carriage C on the bed of the machine. Above the carriage C is a frame E, supporting the bank ot type-writing keys.

On the under side of the bed of the machine alever-arm 1 is pivoted at one end to the bed ot' p the machine, and at the other end is attached to the carriage C by and through the connecting-rod 2 and post 3, which connecting-rod is pivoted at one end to the lever-arm 1 and at the other end to the post 3, the post 3 being rigid to the carriage C. A slot- 4 is provided in the bed A, through which the post 3 passes and in which it has its reciprocal movement on the carriage. A helical spring 5 about the pivot, that secures the arm 1 to the bed A, is attached at one end to the bed A and at the other end to the arm 1, and is adapted by its recoil to move the carriage on the bed from right to lett as the type-writ ing progresses. A toothed rack 6, located at the rear of the bed of the machine, is att-ached rigidly to the carriage C, and a weighted dog 7, secured rigidly to the rockshaft 8, is adapted to engage alternately with the rack 6 and with the rack 9, which rack 9 is supported and has a slight endwise movement on the rack 6. The rack 9 is supported on the rack G by means of the headed bolts or screws 10, passing through slots in the rack 9 and turning into the rack (i. A small coiled wire spring 11 in a recess in the rack G and attached at one end to the rack 6 and at the other end to the rack 9 is adapted to carry the rack 9 Jforward with reference to the rack 6 toward the left in the same direction that the carriage is moved bythe helical spring 5. A set-screw 12, turning through a lug in the end of the rack 6, is adapted at its inner end to receive the thrust ot a lug or cushion 13 on the rack 9, and this set-screw 12 may be adjusted in or out,whereby the reciprocal movement of the rack 9 with reference to the rack 6 maybe adjusted and limited. The carriage C is supported at its front and rear ends by the wheels 14 14., journaled on lugs rigid to the carriage, which wheels travel on ways 15 15 on the bed A, which ways 15 15 extend across the bedlaterally at its front and rear edges. The table D, which forms the top of the carriage, is preferably constructed of sheet-steel, and is secured movably to the frame of the carriage by having its lateral edges turned downwardly and reversed, as shown at 16 16, forming grooves adapted to receive the flanges or guides 17 17 on the frame ot the carriage, which form ways whereon the table D is guided in its movement toward the front and rear endwise on the carriage. A bell-cranklOO lever arm 18 is pivoted at its angle to the frame of the carriage C and is provided wit-h a pawl pivoted to the outer end of one arm of the bell-crank, the free end of which pawl is adapted to engage with the series of teeth 2O on the edge of the table D. A straight spring 21, secured rigidly in a pin 22, rigid in the arm of the bell-crank 18 and bearing against a pin 23 in the pawl l9 is adapted to 1o throw the pawl into engagement with the teeth on the table D and by its recoil when the pawl is in engagement with the table D to throw the outer arm of the bell-crank 18 back against the adjusting-stop 24. The ad- 15 justing-stop 24 is pivoted t-o the frame of the carrier eccentrically, so that when it is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the bell-crank in swinging back against it will draw the pawl 19 rearwardly only so far as is sufficient to zo allow it to engage with the tooth 2O next succeeding the one with which it was last in engagement; but when the adjusting-stop 24 is swung around to the left, presenting its other face to the bell-crank arm 18, the bell-crank z 5 arm will then in swinging back against the stop 24 move far enough to draw the pawl 19 back into engagement with the second tooth 2U from the tooth with which it was last in engagement, whereby by throwing the bell- 3o crank forward again the table D is moved rearwardlya distance equal to the distance apart of two of the teeth 20. It will be understood that this bellcrank device and its allied mechanism is intended and adapted for moving the table D rearwardly to the extent of one or two notches, as desired, after writing each line across the paper.

A clip 25 is secured to a rock-shaft 26, having its bearings in lugs at the left side of the 4o carriage, the free edge of which clip bears `downward upon the table D, and is intended and adapted for receiving thereunder and clasping the paper upon the table D. A wire spring 27, coiled about the rock-shaft 26 and secured at one end to the rock-shaft and at the other end to the carriage, is adapted to force the clip down yieldingly toward or upon the table D, and a thumb-latch 28, rigid to the shaft 26, is adapted for raising the clip 5o 25, and also as a convenient knob for moving the table forward on the carriage. The frame E, which supports the bank of keys and the type-operating mechanism, is located centrally over the bed of the machine and above g 5 the carriage and is supported movably vertically and adjustably upon and with reference to the bed of the machine.

For supporting the frame E, two standards 29 29 are secured, one ateach end of the bedplate and near t-he rear to the bed-plate, by means of a pin or screw 30 passing through the standard and turning into or fixed rigidly in the bed-plate, on which pin or screw 30 the standard is adapted to swing rearwardly when it is desired to raise the frame E to some distance away from the carriage C, and the standard is secured in an upright position by means of a thumb-screw 31, turning through a recess in the foot of the standard into the bed-plate, whereby, when the standard is in a vertical position, by turning down the set-screw upon it the standard is held rigidly in place, and when the thumb-screw is released the standard may be tilted rearwardly. rllwo arms 32 32, one at each end of the frame E and integral therewith, project rearwardly therefrom and are secured pivotally by the pins or screws 33 to brackets 34 34, which brackets are each provided with a recess for the reception of the standard 29, said brackets being supported and having a vertical movement ou said standards. An arm 35, projecting rearwardly from each of the brackets 34 34, is provided with an adjustment-screw 36, turning therethrough and bearing at its end against the projecting rear end of the arm 32, whereby the frame E is held against tipping downwardly, but is allowed to be tilted upwardly to a certain eX- tent, an additional tilting motion of the frame E in the same direction being provided for by the means described for tilting the standards 29 29. The standards 29 29 are each provided ou one vertical edge with a rack adapted to mesh with a pinion 38, rigid on shaft 39, which shaft is journaled in the brackets 34. The pinions 38 38 are each let into a recess in the bracket, so as to come in front of the standard 29. At one end the shaft 39 is provided with a rigid ratchetwheel 40, and a pawl 41, pivoted on the frame, is adapted to engage the ratchet-wheel and lock the shaft against rotating while in engagement. A small crank 42, rigid on the shaft 39, is. adapted for rotating it. The object ot' this mechanism for raising or lowering the frame E, which supports the bankkeys, is to permit of inserting a sheet of thick material or even a block of many leaves of material, or a book, if desired, on the table beneath the frame E for printing thereon.

The frame E is constructed in a semicircular form having a central semicircular area or open space, about which is arranged a series of type-bars 43 43, each of which carries a type 44 in its free upper end, which typebars are so located and pivoted about the central space that when thrown forward individually each type strikes the table D or the thereon supported material for receiving the impression at the center point or axis of the circular frame E. The type-bars 43 are each pivoted at its lower end in the foot of the bracket 45, which bracket is rigidly secured to the frame E. A bell-crank key-lever 46 is pivoted at its angle in the upper part of the bracket 45, and a segmental rack 47 at the end of its lower arm meshes with a segmental pinion 48, integral wi th the type-bar 43, whereby by depressing the outer end of the upper arm of the key-lever 46 the type-bar 43 will be thrown down forwardly. A short post 49 projects upward from the outer end of the upper arm of each key-lever 46 and carries a IOO IIO

disk or key 50 at its top, which, for convenience, is marked with the letter, figure, or character corresponding with the letter, figure, or character in the end of the typebar operated by the particular key-lever so indicated. The radial length of the segmental arm of the key-lever and the radial length of the segmental pinion on the type-bar bear such proportions to each other that a very slightdepression of the outer end of the upper arm of the key-lever will throw the typebar down through an arc of ninety degrees or more upon the table D, and the slight elevation of the outer end of the arm of the keylever 46 will elevate the type-bar 43 again, to the vertical position. The upper arm of the key-,lever 46 is held yieldingly up in the position shown in Fig. 4 by the coiled wire spring 51 inserted between it and the foot of the bracket 45. This spring 5l is preferably supported and held in position by a central pin 52, projecting rigidly from the foot of the bracket 45. The post 49 is connected to the key-lever 46 pivotally, and, passing through an aperture in the key-board'53, is guided in its movements vertically thereby.

To provide means for moving the carriage forward automatically while printing a line or spacing the words, an arm 54, provided with bifurcate free ends, which in curved form extend entirely around beneath the upper arms of all the key-levers 46, is also provided with a T-head 55, which at its outer ends is pivoted, respectively, to the parallel bars 56 and 57, which bars 56 and 57 at their other ends are hinged to t-he upright 58, which upright 58 is secured rigidly to aprojecting-arm 59, integral with the lower part of the frame E. The free ends of the arm 54 are each provided with an upright 60, having at its top a horizontal linger-plate or spacing-key 6l, adapted to receive the pressure from the hand for forcing down the arm 54 and moving the carriage forward laterally in connection with mechanism to be described. The arm 56 is connected by the thereto-j ointed rod 62 with the lever-arm 63, which lever-arm 63 is pivoted and supported on the bracket 64rigid on the frame E. The outer end of the lever-arm 63 is provided with a thereto-pivoted upright 65, which upright is provided with a series of teeth 66, adapted to engage with a projecting arm 67, rigid on the rocking-lever shaft 68. The upright 65 passes up alongside the end of the arm 67 and through an eccentric slot 69 in the cam-lever'70, which cam-lever is pivoted on the arm 67 and is adapted by its oscillation to throw the upright into or out of engagement with the arm 67, whereby the relative position of the upright 65 to the arm 67 may be adjusted, as desired, which adjustment is necessary to be made when the frame E is elevated or lowered by the means and as hereinbefore described. The rocking-lever shaft 68 is journaled at its respective ends in the upper part of the standards 29 29, and is provided at one end with the thereto-rigid lever-arm 7l, the outer end of which leverarm is connected by the rod 72 to the outer end of the lever-arm 73, rigid on the rockshaft 8. A spring 74, made rigid to the upright 58, bears against the bar 56 and holds it and the mechanism thereto attached yieldingly up to its highest point of movement, which is thehorizontal position shown in Fig. 9. A downwardly-proj ectin g arm 75, integral with the lever-arm 63, is connected at its lower end with a forwardly-extending arm 76, which arm 76 at its front end is bifurcate and is provided with fingers 77 77, adapted to receive and hold loosely the ink-ribbon 78, and by its reciprocation forward and back to throw the ink-ribbon immediately beneath the type as it cornes down and to withdraw it rearwardly as the type is lifted therefrom. lt will be seen that by the depression of the arm 54 by bearing down on the space-key 6l or by the thrust downward of the upper arm of a key-lever 46 when a letter-key is struck and by the elevation of this arm 54 by the spring 74 the rocking-lever shaft 68 and the rock-shaft 8 will be oscillated, whereby the gravity-pawl7will be thrust into enga-gement alternately with the racks 6 and 9, andthe carriage in the meantime between such alternate engagement will be moved forward by the power of the helical spring 5. Ribboni carrying reels, one at each side of the machine, having an axle 79, a crank-arm 80, a

spring 8l, a ribbon-spool 82, and a ratchetwheel 83 are supported and carried on the frame E. rlhe axle 79 is j ournaled in brackets integral with the frame E, and the spring 8l is coiled about the axle between one arm of the bracket, and the ribbon-carrying spool is adapted to hold the reel yieldingly against rotation. The spool 82 and ratchet-Wheel 83 are fixed on the axle 79. The ink-ribbon 78 is wound upon these reels at its respective ends, and the ribbon is wound back and forth lengthwise by the rotating of these reels synchronously, whereby a fresh part of the inkribbon may be provided for the type at each impression. Y

For automatically moving the ink-ribbon mechanism is provided which engages alternately with one or the other of the ratchetwheels 83 and is operated by the spacing mechanism, and consists of a shifting bar 84, supported movably in the bottom of the frame E and adapted to be reciprocated endwise bymeans of the thumb-piece 85, integral with the bar, two upright sleeves86, fixed to or integral with the bar 84, one at each side of the frame E, adapted to receive and guide therein the vertically-moving pins 87, which pins are each provided with a springfinger 88, adapted to engage with the adjacent ratchet-wheel 83 and with a rigid horizontally-extending arm 89, adapted to engage on the under side and receive the downward thrust of the spacing-arm 54, and a spring 90, coiled about the pin 87 between the top of the sleeve 86 and the arm 89,

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adapted to hold the pin S7 yieldingly up to its highest position, carrying the linger S8 above thenext tooth of the ratchet-wheel S3 when the arm 89 is released from the downward pressure of the spacing-arm 5i. It will be understood that by each depression of the spacing-arm 5st through the mechanism just described one of the ratchet-wheels 83 will be rotated one notch and the ink-ribbon will be carried forward correspondingly. Vhen the ink-ribbon has by this process been wound entirely. on one of the reels b y shifting the bar 84: toward the other side of the machine, the ratchet-wheel 83, theretofore in engagement with the spring-finger SS, will be released therefrom and the ratchet-wheel S3 at the other side of the machine will be brought into engagement with the spring-finger 88 on that side of the machine, whereby the movement of the reels will be reversed and the ink-ribbon will be rewound on the reel now in engagement with the spring-nger SS. The engagement of the ratchet-wheel 83 with the spring-finger 8S does not hinder the shifting of the ribbon on the reels by means of the cranks 8O when desired. The ribbon 7S, as will be seen in Fig. l, is held centrally in the fingers of the arm 76, and, as the arm 7 (i is reciprocated forward and back by the mechanism to which it is attached, the ink-ribbon, being flexible between the fingers 77 and the the reels, is carried back and forth from and to the locality over the central point of typeimpression at each thrust of a type, whereby the impression on the paper is uncovered, so far as the ribbon is concerned, immediately after it is made, and the operator thereby is able to see the impression produced immediately after the printing is performed, while the ribbon is returned to position in time to receive the impression of the succeeding typestroke.

The bracket I preferably construct in one piece cut from sheet metal and swaged in the form shown in Fig. 5. rlhe end of the bracket 91 is turned over and reversed, forming bearings for the key-lever and its pivot, and the strip 92 cut from the body of the bracket is turned outwardly and backwardly parallel with the face of the bracket, forming bearings for the type-bar and its trunnions, as shown in Fig. l0 in section on line Y Y of Fig. et. The strip 92 is somewhat elastic, and is sprung out for inserting the trunnions 93 93 on the type-bar, and then springs back and is held in position adjustably by the set-screw 94 turning through it into the body of the bracket 45. A ange 95, also integral with the bracket 45, is adapted as a foot for securing the bracket on the supporting-frame E.

It will be understood that the paper or material to be printed upon is placed at on the table D, and is secured thereto by the clip 25, and that the carriage C, with its table D and thereon-supported paper,is automatically carried from right to left intermittingly below the type-bars at each depression of the spacing-lever 54, either by the downward thrust on a letter-key or on the spacing-key, and the carriage is withdrawn toward the right by the hand taking hold most conveniently of the knob 9G on the crank 1S, which knob and crank are also adapted, as hereinbefore described, for forcing the table D rearwardly by means of the pawl 19, engaging with the teeth 20, whereby the proper spacing of the lines is accomplished. It will also be understood that by means of the provision made for raising the key-blank frame E to some distance above the table D very thick material-such as a block of many sheets of paper or even a book-may be placed on the table D, beneath the frame E, and be printed upon.

Should it be desirable to use this machine for printing on very large or wide books', it is only necessary to make the bed-plate A sufficiently long laterally and the other parts of the machine correspondingly long or broad laterally to receive such book to adapt this machine for the widest and largest books, even such as are used for railroad or public records.

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to securev l. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the main frame, of standards, one at each side, secured to the bed-plate, brackets supported and movable vertically on the standards and provided with means for raising and lowering them on the standards, and a key-bank frame supported on the movable brackets and so hinged or pivoted thereto as to be tiltable vertically, substantially as described.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the main frame, of standards, one at each side, pivoted to the bed-plate so as to be tiltable rearwardly thereon, each provided with a toothed rack in its vertical edge, brackets supported and movable vertically on the standards, pinions j ournaled and rotatable in the brackets, meshing` with the racks on the standards, and a key-bank frame pivoted on the vertically-movable brackets so as to be tiltable upwardly and supported normally in a horizontal position thereon, substantially as described.

3. In a type-writing machine, a type-bar and key-lever supporting` bracket 45, swaged from a single piece of sheet metal, having a turned-over end 91, forming bearings for the key-lever, and a reversed strip 92, forming bearings for the type-bar, substantially as described.

a. In a type-writing machine, an ink-ribbon wound upon reels supported at opposite sides of the key-carrying frame, which reels are provided with ratchet-wheels, in combination with a shifting-bar, two iinger-carrying pins supported and movable vertically on the bar, springs whereby the pins are held yieldingly up to their work, the fingers being' adapted one at a time to engage and pass intermittingly a tooth on one of the ratchets IOO on the reels, and an arm rigid to the finger.- carrying pins, adapted to receive and be depressed by the thrust of the spacing-arm of the machine, substantially as described.

5. In a type-Writing machine, a flat paperholding table provided with ratchet-teeth along one edge, the table being supported and adapted to travel in ways on a carriage of the machine, in combination with a bellcrank 18, pivoted to the carriage, a pawl 19, pivoted on one arm of the bell-crank, and an actuating-spring fixed in the arm of the bellcrank and bearing against a pin on the pawl, substantially as described.

6. In a type-writing machine,the combination of a swinging spacing-arm 54 and swinging parallel bars 56 and 57, to which spacingarm 54 is pivoted, with a lever-arm 63, connected by a rod to one of the parallel bars and provided with an upright 65, rocking lever 68, provided with rigid lever-arm 7l, rocking shaft 8, provided with rigid lever-arm 7 3, connected by a rod to arm 71, and a dog 7,

pivoted on shaft S and adapted to engage alternately with ratchets on the carriage, substantially as described.

7. In a type-Writing machine having akeybank frame that is adjustable vertically on the frame of the machine,a rocking shaft (5S, having its bearings in standards attached to the frame of the machine, an arm 67, rigid on shaft 68, and a slotted cam-lever 70, pivoted on arm (57, in combination with an upright G5, provided with a rack adapted to engage with arm G7, being` held thereto and disengaged therefrom by cam-lever 70, the upright G5 being connected to a swinging arm of the spacing mechanism pivoted on the key-bank frame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in 4o presence of two witnesses.

FRANK H. BOLTE.

Witnesses:

C. T. BENEDICT, C. Il. KEENEY. 

